Big Olaf
(Day 3, midday)

     Olaf was feeling inordinately pleased with himself today.  At first, 
when T'rell had asked him to come to Daere to be a dragonrider, he'd wondered 
if he were just being made the butt of somebody's joke...out on the farm, 
near Triylar, that had happened often enough.  He knew that he wasn't the 
smartest man around...then again, he was certainly one of the strongest.  The 
man who'd come to the country fair that day, identifying himself as T'rell of 
Daere Warren had certainly known of that when he approached him, having just 
seen him take down a large hog in two straight falls of mud-wrestling.  So, 
he figured that this T'rell person just might not be funning him with his 
talk of coming to the warren and being a dragonrider.  

     Getting his folks' permission had been something else again....they 
weren't too pleased to find their son wanting to run off to the "city." To 
them - and to him at the time - the word "city" had meant anyplace with more 
than ten people living in the same place.  He'd since learned that anyplace 
with more than ten people and that many dragons living together was a 
"warren".  That was a useful thing to know.  His brother had kept a rabbit 
warren, and while Daere was bigger, it was just about as crowded.  So, he 
guessed that was why it was called a warren.

    Well, as it had turned out, the little dragonrider fella (T'rell) had 
managed to convince Olaf's folks to let him go off to the warren.  He'd 
figured that, if nothing else, he could get in some practice mud-wrestling 
some of those big dragons.  If he could learn how to take down one of them, 
he could do the same thing at the next country fair when nobody else wanted 
to wrestle him and he had to take on a pig or two to pass the time until 
someone challenged him.  Maybe, he'd even suggested to T'rell, one of the 
dragons wouldn't mind coming to the country fair next year to wrestle him!

     T'rell had just smiled and said that they'd see about that when the time 
came.  And, wonder of wonders, when those big eggs had started hatching (he'd 
always helped his mother collect chicken eggs on the farm, and had at first 
thought that these were only hatching because someone had forgotten to come 
and collect them), one of them had *talked* to him!  

     That had been a pretty interesting day, as he recollected.  The little 
green dragon had identified himself as Byorn, and if Olaf had had any ideas 
that taking care of the little fellow would be easy because of his experience 
in handling farm animals, he'd gotten a big surprise - because farm animals 
couldn't talk back to you, and they didn't complain *nearly* so much when 
they wanted to be fed!

     But, by and by, he and Byorn had come to an understanding about who was 
boss (it was Byorn, of course).  Olaf didn't mind, he was used to being 
bossed.  At least Byorn was nice about how he did it.

     T'rell was too, for that matter, at least usually.  He'd been in a 
pretty bad humor lately after getting dumped by that pretty girl he'd been 
courting.  So, of late, Olaf had learned to keep out of his way.  But, the 
other day, he'd been downright amazed when T'rell had asked him to be part of 
his "elite" squad!  Olaf figured that he must make a better dragonrider than 
he'd thought!

     Now, he was fair to busting with excitement, as he wondered what sort of 
fun things he'd get to do as part of T'rell's squad!  Maybe he'd get to save 
fair maidens in distress from them nasty wraiths!  Just like the stories his 
old grandpa used to tell around the fire.

     Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks.  He wondered for just a moment 
if his thinking about beautiful maidens hadn't conjured one up...he closed 
his eyes, wondering if she'd be gone when he opened them.  But she wasn't 
gone....which meant that she was really here!

/snip from Tree's post/
Humming to herself Panda noticed the sun was getting higher in the sky.
"Hmmm, I think it's time for a coffee break!" She said to herself
happily.  Grabbing her basket she headed back along the same trail she
had come. The sound of a twig snapping caught her attention.

"Who's there?" she called out wishing D'Altar hadn't left so soon.

Pandora's eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect O as a hulking man
stepped out of the bushes.  Her eyes widened as she stared in shock at
the huge man.

Olaf stood there with a big grin on his face, "I asked around and you're
Miss Pandora. Hi, I'm Olaf! I'm a dragon rider. I'm gonna be part of
T'rells Eee-leet Squad!

Pandora clamped her mouth shut to keep from grinning at the exuberant
speech. The man was enormous but looked sort of like an overgrown kid.
He had one hand behind his back and seemed to be hiding something.  She
relaxed a bit realizing he was essentially harmless. "Hello Olaf, how
are you today?' She asked politely still keeping her distance.

"I think you're real purdy!" He said with a big grin. "And you sing
awful nice."  Seeing the look on her face he added. "I wan't really
spying on ya."  The big man blushed furiously as Pandora smiled gently.

Shuffling his foot in the grass he finally brought out what he was
hiding.  Pandora gasped at the beautiful bouquet of bluish-purple
forget-me-nots he held in his massive hands. "Why they're beautiful
Olaf!"

"Well, they're for you cause you're so purdy!" his face reddening even
more. "They kinda match your eyes."

"Why thank you so much, that is very nice of you!" Pandora exclaimed,
immediately liking the gentle giant.  Taking the offered bouquet she
said, "I was just going back to get a cup of coffee and some more straw,
would you like to come along."

Olaf's face brightened at the invitation. "I sure would, Miss Pandora!"
/end snip/

    Happy as a pig in in a sty, Olaf walked alongside Pandora.  "My brother, 
Alexis, is in T'rell's wing," Pandora observed as they walked.  "Sounds like 
you'll be flying together!"

     "Um...gosh, yeah, I guess we will," said Olaf, after taking a moment to 
think it over.  He wasn't great at fast comebacks, and right now was really 
distracted by having this pretty girl Pandora next to him.  This was really 
his lucky day!

     [No, your lucky day was when you found me!] Byorn said.  [I just wanted 
to point that out, in case you'd forgotten it.]

     *Hush, you!* Olaf replied.  "Can't ya see I'm busy?"

     [Busy doing what?] Byorn asked.  [Seems to me you're just walking along. 
 Oh, and by the way, be careful around that human!]

     *Huh?* asked Olaf, after failing to think up a snappy comeback.

     [Well, that new dragon, Raven, was telling me about this other new 
dragon, Samson, who for some reason is always hanging around that human 
you're with.  In fact, he says that...]

     *Aw, yer always complainin about stuff,* Olaf said.  *Yer 
just...jealous!*

     Byorn sighed.  [Rider, someday I must explain a few things to you.  You 
see, I'm a dragon, and I don't....oh, forget it!  Just remember when that 
other dragon comes around, that I *did* warn you!]

     *Hah!  Let him git his own girl!  I found this'un fair and square!*

     He heard a long-suffering draconic sigh slide through his head.  [Yes, 
we really do need to talk, rider,] Byorn said, as he closed the contact.
 
* * * * * * * *
T'rell

/snip from Tree's post/
The Wingleader watched with sharp interest as Alexis uncoiled the large
whip that he had attached to his saddle. A loud crack filled the air as
the whip lashed out neatly coiling around a large branch loaded with the
big shiny apples. A few tugs with the whip were all that was needed to
send the ripened fruit cascading to the ground.  Squeals of delight were
heard as the children ran happily about picking up their prizes.  With
another flip of the wrist the whip uncoiled as the dragon lifted upward.

T'rell was amazed at the ease of the maneuver and his mind began to work
as he watched the big man and his dragon.
/end snip/

     *Not bad,* he told Flerrion.

     [No, not if you like apples, I suppose,] Flerrion answered. 

     *This guy might be just what I'm looking for,* he went on.

     [Samson seems like a nice enough sort,] Flerrion agreed.

/snip/
Tossing a juicy apple to his new Wingleader Lexi added, "I guess we'd
best get back!"

After landing the two men talked a bit and Lexi said that knowing his
sister there would be pie by morning. He mentioned to the Wingleader
that if he wan't too busy to come by for a piece and a cup of coffee.
/end snip/

     "I'll do that," T'rell agreed.  "But listen, I've got something else I 
wanted to mention to you.  I've seen that you and your dragon are good in the 
air, and I've seen how good you are with that whip.  You seem to be a man of 
multiple talents."

     Alexis smiled, but said nothing in return.

     "I've got something in mind, a special group of riders in Gamma Wing," 
T'rell told him.  "You seem like the sort for it."

     "What does this special group do?" Alexis asked.

     "Anything and everything," T'rell answered.  "Anytime and anywhere it's 
needed."

     "Sounds interesting," Lexi said.  

     "I thought you'd feel that way," said T'rell.  "First training session 
is tomorrow morning at sunrise, on the field out in front of the hatchling 
barracks."

* * * * * * * *
/snip from Tree's post/
Lexi seeing the exchange almost laughed. "Listen you two!" He said
putting his hands on both his sister's and Jason's shoulder's. "I'm
starving! How about if we head to the dining hall and see if we can
rustle up some grub.  It'd give us a chance to get better acquainted."
Almost pushing the two people forward he noticed Olaf was still standing
there, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Well Olaf, you hungry too."

Olaf's face brightened as he nodded rapidly.  Lexi laughed at the Big
Man's enthusiasm saying "Come on then!"
/end snip/

    Olaf started to walk toward the dining hall at Pandora's side when 
suddenly he was caught full in the back with a great, dragon-sized snort.  He 
turned his head to see Samson glaring down at him.

     [He says for you to watch yourself,] Byorn interpreted.  [He says he 
doesn't trust you.]

     *Whaddya mean, he don't trust me!* Olaf demanded.

     [That's what he says,] Byorn told him.  [Ask him what he means, not me!]

     "What is it, Olaf?" Pandora asked, stopping.

     "Just a little trouble, ma'am, don't you worry your purty little head 
none!" Olaf assured her, and interposed himself protectively between her and 
the huge red dragon.  Putting his hands on his hips, Olaf stalked up to 
Samson.  

     "Now listen hyar, you big 'ol draggun!  Just cause yore bigger'n I am 
don't mean I'm scared of ya!  I've wrassled hogs darn near as big as you are, 
and whupped 'em!"  That wasn't quite true, of course.  Samson was many times 
the size of the biggest thing Olaf had ever wrestled, but he wasn't going to 
let the dragon know that.

     Samson's only response was a rather wet snort.  Olaf wiped his face off 
and glared back at Samson.  No one was more easygoing than Big Olaf, but he 
didn't like the way this dragon was looking at him...and, for all he knew, 
the big beast might be a danger to Pandora!  He poked the dragon's nose with 
a finger.  "You  dang well better back off and quit bothering Miss Pandora 
here, or you're gonna be takin' a trip to the woodshed, you hear me?" he 
asked.

     [Oh, dear,] Byorn sighed.  

(Tag Tree - I don't know if Samson understands what Olaf is saying, but I 
doubt he'll miss the intent! :)

NRPG: Just a short one to keep things moving, and to slip in a bit of 
background on Big Olaf.  Also, applications are still being taken for the 
Black Coffee Squadron!

Submitted by:

John

T'rell & Flerrion
Gamma Wingleader
Daere Warren